The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1887-02-13
THE CAPTAINS PROBATION.

eUN ltcnHpu III
not far, and our little maid gets ON With the
children very handy
"Wcll, ask him," she said 'lIeca,se Mr..
Cardcwc and arc expecting some friends and
you might help me. You have not forgotten
your old business, | supposc?" she asked,
smiling.
curisied and said .No could manage
hair-tressing aud So on ycry well MS lady's-
maid-if wanted 80
at is rather rc look after Lady Pardock's
little boy" replied Mrs. Carlewc. .lIc is an
only child-ihc heir Ia the property--and |
must have trustworthy person with him. lie
has an attendant, of course, hut the nlrsc had
been obliged togo home, I understand. WIN
You come for n week or sos
said ! woul.l- and Mrs. Curtlcwe seemed
pleased.
said "Shc will not come unless her child is in
good hands, and can now assurehcH.' | curt
sled again, and th ankcd her for her good opin-
ion. She nodded pleasantly and drove away,
saying:
"On Tuesday, them"
When Charley came back 10 tea he gave me
leave to go, and laughed about my leaving my
own children to look after the ouly child of
Lady Pardock, who was the widow Of the grea,
barrister. the gentleman who bad found the
heir to the Norfolk estate.
"Whcn are you going 10 the Manor he
asked.
'Un Tuesday, Charlcy-this is Friday--so
there's plenty Of time"
The company began TO arrive AZ the Manor ON
the Monday. There wcreto bc fourteen guests,
but necd't name them all Mr. IIcmphll and
the Martyn-lienrys were invited at separate
times-but he remained longer than Inc had at
first intcnded-and there was captain in the
navy, a retired officer, named Armstrong. who
wore beard like The Duke of Edinburgh He
was nice, plain spoken enteman-very u,ict,
and never seemed to put himself out for any
one. lie had been asked 10 meet MIR. llcmphl,
who had yacht and was somewhat nautical.
Lady PardoCk came, with a nllrsetlaid-n
plain, rather ll.-lookng afrecticnatc girl
and the heir lie was seven years old Il sturdy.
bold boy. independent, but as obedent as |
have never seen lad SO young. His mothers
out questioning on fretfulness- The young heir
seemed to like ille sailor captain, who was full
OF anecdotes and stories, hut Lady PardOck
seemed To despise him little She Was Il fine,
handsome rwoman-tall, wel'madc, and well
dressed. There was at times dreamy look in
her eyes, as IL she were thinking Of the past or
contemplating the future. She was very cncr-
getic, though and could walk, ri,Hc, row. or
sail n boat as well us many men
She and Captain Henry were good friends.
She was Interested in his mining ana was quite
MS ready TO go down the mine as she WIS TO sail
In Mr. liemphill's yacht, the FREELY
"You are. of course, great traveller, Capt
Arnstrong?' she said one dav TO the sailor
I'VE heard good deal you know, through the
butler and other men servants, and | saw u
good deal of Lady Parlock, and sometimes she
talked to mc.)
"No." he replied carclessly. ..T have been
nh hn Mt mi upl, in \ I'll,
a good deal. and there is something worth see.
ing occasionally, 900"
'lIavc you ever been In battle - she asked
again.
"Never, l am thankful to saw he replied
"You are surely-not-noi- serious ?" she
said
~ am quite scuious-I dread a Battle, or
course should fight IL Ind to do so--bul
trust never SHALL
81 wonder yon entered the navy, Capt.
Armstrong she half snecrcd, lyon should
have been Quaker"
at was not my own choice, Lady Parlock,"
he answered.
ale would make an excellent country par-
SON. she remarked 10 her ncigtlbOr, Capt.
Martyn-llenry; and very soon aftcrward the
ladies left the tlningroom. Foom that time
Lady Patdock seemed to think the sailor what
Charley calls "a nufT." lie walked ami some
times shot with the party in the stullblcs--or
helped In tablcaulo, hut never shonc much In
any way When Charley came In | used to tell
Hlln ahOuI tnc t;lItn1n
'iou know nothing about /, :" he would say.
Capt. Armstrong shoots right straight: II lie
don't fire often fle always kills in workman
Ike way and doesn't mangle his brls, What
do you know about him ?"
Not much, indeed; but he doesn't seem To
care much for ANYTHING and is very slulet."
$50 you think he's a 'mui1' Oh, you wo-
men Because II man doesn't boast and swell
about Ike turkcy-cock you think he s got no
spirit In him.
UWcll chnrl.y mn n,o ,n,,ld ,,,,,,l,i,. ,t,;,,,.
he had any spirit, He's as mild as milk -
"Bah' was all my husband saI.l. So |
turned away aElcl went indoors to my charge
Sir Jocelyn. lie was n dear little fellow and
encc itself. yet fun of fun There were cxcur-
sions and boating parties, and when Mr. Hemp
hills yacht came in plenty of sailing. This
delighted Lady Pardock: who many time
went with me, JOcelyn. Mr. IIemphilI and Mrs
Cardewc and her husband.
One day we started to Lnlworh Cove. They
MI had heard of ID, but few had ever been there
The wind was blowing brlskly from The south
east--a favorable quarter, and, rs MFR. Ilcmphil
said, "lf II does vcer to the southwest, ali the
better; 1t will bring us home the fusserr
won't you come, Armstrong;" asked Mr..
IIemphill.
"No, thank you. | don't care much for
sailing. Besides, you are quite enough in that
craft without me, | should only prove a
Jonah"
"Why, do you think storm will come ON ~
'it does not look like settled weather, must
say" replied thc Captain cautiously. .But
"Thank you replied IIemphill t.,
seriously, Lady Famock, II you fear
strong is afraid. Let us Co. Mr. Ilemphiii" I"
Yacht was lying at a little distanc. o,t, as the
tide was low. SO We went on board, whittier
Mrs. Cardewe had already proceeded. Capt.
Armstrong had merely taken of his hat when
Lady Pardock referred 10 him so cOntempt,I-
ously. But knew quite well she respected his
nature and his cool iirmncss, for ali her cold
ness TO him. was certain she though of what
he said for more than once had heard her
talking to her hoy, and he told her what his
friend, the Captain, had hidlen him do. Lady
Pardock always agreed with her son ON these
occasions SO when we reached the Yacht she
spoke To the salln master and asked lin what
he thought Of the weather,
"Fair and square, my lady: | think II will
change aforc night but so far, see nothing to
be alarmed about
Perhaps the boy had better GO ashore" said
Mr. Cardewe.
Nonsense (" said Mr.. IIcmphlII Mrs Far
mer wants u sail as well us ourselves. Let the
lad remain. You'd like the sea, Sir Jocclyn ~
uOh, yes - he laughed; II love the sea .
That decided she question. ! remained, and
we were soon under weigh rushing down the
coast In the direction of Portland Bill. Capt.
Armstrong watched us for awhile; and then,
waving his har us farewell, turned ,Ip the
path toward tho Manor,
lie encountered Charley and am old fisher
man on the way, and stopped, as sOlloTs like to
talk with sailors.
"Ihe Fircty's oil, see sir, - said old Barnes.
yes repllcdl the Captain she's bound for
Luworh and Weymouth expect the pas
sengers viii relum by train
$50 do !, sir They'll never work agln this
wind; When lle tide flows again the Wind viii
rise. expect
"Ihen they'll have Il Ine breeze 10 carry
them down!n
SAY, ay, sir; little loo much. I'm thinking
" u veers IA couple Of points, Ths Captain
nodded Then lac said
~ Will run over and meet them at Wey
mouth;' aud Charley watched Him as lie went
thinking, as lC I'D me aflerward how cool h,
was.
There are hOmc servants Nhv manage Ia lin,
out everything, ar To he present when there Il
anything 10 iinsl out Was never one of tbes,
spying ones, for what hear ami see say out
right; but Peter, le butler, certainly maiagc,
To pick out ,lluls Of gossip which none Of u
servants could ever obtain nlimpsc Of